Liverpool‘s clash with Manchester United hangs in the balance as officials meet to discuss the viability of the fixture after heavy overnight snow.
An amber weather warning has been issued for Liverpool and Manchester by the Met Office, the same level that was released ahead of the cancelled Merseyside derby in December.
Liverpool City council’s Safety Advisory Group are holding a meeting this morning and will judge whether or not to call off the 4.30pm match.
It is also said that a ground inspection at Anfield will take place at around 9am.
Amber warnings, while not as serious as red ones, indicate a possible risk to life and signnificant travel disruption.
Images on social media show a layer of snow blanketing the ground on the streets around Anfield, with one fan claiming it looks ‘like Siberia’.
Liverpool’s clash with Manchester United at Anfield could be called off due to the snow
The streets around Anfield have been pictured covered in a layer of snow ahead of the clash
Liverpool City council’s Safety Advisory Group are holding a meeting and will judge whether the game should be called off
Taggy’s Bar, a Liverpool FC-themed outlet by the stadium, wrote on Instagram: ‘Snow is about two inches some places. It rains a little, but very cold rain so won’t take snow away most likely. My money is on postponement. Meeting at 9 I’ve been told.’
Liverpool City Council gritters have already made several outings in the last 24 hours in a bid to shore up the safety of the roads for travelling supporters.
Around 80 miles down the road, Chesterfield’s clash with Gillingham at the SMH Group Stadium, has been called off after an early morning pitch inspection.
Some Manchester United fans have been begging for the fixture to be called off on social media due to their torrid form leaving the odds heavily stacked against them.
‘Safety first. That’s my motto. Better safe than sorry. That’s another. If there’s the slightest concern about the wellbeing of anyone involved – which there clearly is – best to postpone. Or even cancel altogether. Share the points. Everyone’s happy. And most importantly, everyone is safe,’ a prominent United fan wrote on Bluesky.
‘Honestly, it’s like Siberia out there this morning. People could lose their extremities to frostbite. Stop this madness now.’
‘Null and void the league?’ another joked.
‘Worst snow we’ve ever seen, treacherous conditions right there, call it off,’ wrote fan channel The United Stand on X.
A pitch inspection is taking place after heavy snow overnight left Liverpool looking like ‘Siberia’
In December, Liverpool’s clash with Everton was called off just four hours ahead of kick-off because of chaos caused by Storm Darragh.
Storm Darragh wreaked havoc across the country with winds of up to 92mph causing travel chaos, damage and leaving thousands without power.
Liverpool said the late postponement was due to ‘severe weather and high winds, which have also resulted in severe travel disruption in and around Merseyside’.
It is still not clear when the rescheduled Merseyside derby, the last at Goodison Park, will take place.
Arne Slot’s side have a game in hand as a result of that postponement but will be keen to avoid another as they will not want the fixtures to pile up in 2025.
More to follow.